I've used Hardwire for most of my tattoos, and couldn't be happier. Mike G. is my go to guy, but I'm quite confident I could use any of their artists employed by the shop. Top notch customer service, professional and talented artists for reasonable prices. Will definitely be going back in the foreseeable future to finish my sleeve and start planning my next one. Read Less

I've been a client of Mike G's for several years. I have never felt "pushed" towards anything or overcharged. His work is well planned and placed. The other artists are friendly and I've seen some amazing pieces. I recommend the shop to everyone from friends to those that compliment my tattoos. There are two great shops in Wilm making them convenient to anywhere in the area. Read Less

This is an amazing shop. My wife and I have both had tattoos done here and we're treated with nothing but respect. Our work was done by AK who does beautiful work. We both were very pleased with everyone in the shop. We were quoted a price and that is what we paid. We searched around for months to find a good local shop and we won't go anywhere else. Read Less

WOW. Sid is the modern day Picasso— just absolutely fabulous. I’ve had three pieces done by him and I couldn’t be more happy with them. Not only is he talented, he gives you a comforting and enjoyable experience by conversing and connecting with his clients. 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking for a stupendous artist with a splendid personality. Read Less

Me and my 2 other friends did a walk-in on June 30. I got 8 (quarter-size) stars, color coded for the birth months that I want. I wanted it to fade and Andrew just made it into 2 different shades of color. Again, it does not fade. The price was $200 when it was done I ask how about $160 he said in a stern tone "that's not want we agreed upon" I said I was willing to pay $150-$200 at the beginning. During the session Andrew said hes been doing tattoo for 22 years. My friend got a rose for his mom they said $300 but with 20% because of the use of credit card and not cash, with a $40 tip came out to $400. Lastly, my last friend got a quote on his triceps for $100 which looks great. The people at the front were nice. Read Less

Very rude, i went in to get my first tattoo and as a gift for my wife. The guy who talked to us was very rude and unprofessional. I do not care about a tattoo you got on your a**. You were very insulting to my wife and myself. I don't care what superstition is behind a name tattoo. For you to make those comments toward us and scrutinize what i wanted on my body is very unprofessional. Read Less

They were very rude. The tattoo artist Will didn't listen to what we wanted. He then proceeded to drop the F bomb to us when we said we didn't like certain aspects of his stencil. We were only there for about 15 minutes Totally unprofessional. We took our business elsewhere. Read Less

A friend of mine got a tattoo here about a week ago and I'm definitely not impressed. The design was nice which is the only reason I'm giving 2 stars. He was light and skimp on the ink and didn't even apply ink in some areas for the shade. We see the scars, but no ink. Where's the ink?! It's okay. We will find somewhere to get it fixed ‍ Read Less

Walked in with an idea of what I wanted and Sid took it to a whole new level. He added a lot of personal touch and detail to my tattoo and it was fantastic to see an artist care as much as he did about the quality of his work. I couldn't be happier with the tat. Highly recommend Sid. Read Less

Took my 12 year old daughter to get her ears pierced. Staff is super friendly, answered all questions, calmed her fears, and Dave did a fantastic job with the piercing. Clean, friendly atmosphere. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for quality work. Read Less

My wife and were in Wilmington for our honeymoon and wanted to get matching tattoos like a bunch of dorks. We did our research and found Hardwire. We can't recall our artist's name, but he was super friendly. The shop was clean and had a great atmosphere, we'll probably be back again in the future. Read Less

My friend and I came in to spontaneously get piercings on a Thursday night. We got right in and were able to be in the room for both of each other's piercings: she got her nose pierced, I got my tragus. It seems like most basic piercings were $40, which is a bit higher than other shops but it was nice knowing I could trust this place to be safe and sanitary. Our piercer Tim was very funny and made us feel comfortable. There was vulgar music playing a little too loudly however I still had a good experience here and would definitely go back in the future. Read Less

My friend and I came in to spontaneously get piercings on a Thursday night. We got right in and were able to be in the room for both of each other's piercings: she got her nose pierced, I got my tragus. It seems like most basic piercings were $40, which is a bit higher than other shops but it was nice knowing I could trust this place to be safe and sanitary. Our piercer Tim was very funny and made us feel comfortable. There was vulgar music playing a little too loudly however I still had a good experience here and would definitely go back in the future. Read Less

We took our granddaughter to get her ears pierced yesterday, with her parents permission. She is only two, but very clear and decisive about what she wants. We searched a wide area to find someplace to do them that did not use a gun for the process. And found that Hardwire Tattoo and Body Piercing in Wilmington fit this criteria. AND they were willing to pierce a two year old's ears. May I say Tim was AMAZING with the process. Our granddaughter loves her earrings, had an awesome experience getting them. Thank you again Tim! Read Less

Quickly got in as a walk in. My idea was conveyed pretty fast since I had an image on hand. I've only ever had one tattoo done before and this place was quite different in a fantastic way. I got to watch The Office as Will worked. Which was relaxing and nice to have my choice of Netflix shows to watch. Will was incredibly relaxing and knew his shit. He answered questions I imagine he's probably been asked way too many times with patience. Which meant the world to me. All staff was prompt and upbeat and relaxing. It was spacious too. A wonderful experience and is definitely my new home. My tattoo came out gorgeous and just as expected. Thank you Will! Read Less

These guys took a real long time to get started on myself and all of the other customers the day I was in there. My tattoo came out complete shit, lines werent straight, color wasnt full, and the artist used no shading whatsoever..... please take your money elsewhere Read Less

It's always a fun place full of talented artists. Nate did an incredible job ! Created the most beautiful Alaskan Fireweed on my leg. Thanks for the fun conversation and the time you took to make it perfect! It was a great experience!! Read Less

Excellent service, very friendly. A personalized experience, they do what can to make you comfortable and at ease. Good prices as well. Fairly fast 👍🏻 definitely worth the three and a half hour drive Read Less

I had a fantastic experience this evening! I decided to get the second holes on my ears pierced for my birthday- I've been looking at Hardwire for a bit and decided to give it a go. Staff was cool and friendly, place is clean and neatly designed, and everything in general was very professional. Tim (really cool guy) pierced my ears for me, and did an awesome job. I will most definitely be back. Highly recommend! Read Less

There isn't a single negative thing that can be said about this Hardwire Tattoo Shop. It's one of the cleanest, friendliest and most professional shops I've EVER been in. (And I've been in many) From the very first time i walked into their shop they've all treated me with respect and like family. Always giving the best advice because they care. Sid Baggett is my artist and he's absolutely phenomenal. He's one of the coolest and most down to earth artist I've ever met. He's done a few cover-ups on me and they're flawless. You'd NEVER know they were cover-ups. In my opinion he's the absolute best at what he does and I trust no one but him to give me the quality of work I'm looking for. Every artist there is great in their own unique way. I promise, you will NOT be disappointed in the atmosphere, location or quality of work you receive from this shop! Read Less

Decided out of no where to get my first tattoo yesterday of something so meaningful to me. I was nervous going in and not really knowing what to expect but Sid was really nice and walked me through the whole process and made me feel comfortable the whole time. The outcome was AMAZING. I can't thank him enough for doing such wonderful work on something so close to my heart. HIGHLY RECOMMEND! � Read Less

I highly recommend! I just walked in and was a little nervous about getting a cover up of an ankle tat. Sid was hands down the best artist I have ever worked with, you can't tell at all there was ever another tattoo on my ankle! He incorporated some of the original work so the tattoo is still small and girly. Love it! I will be going back to him. Read Less

I have had s few tattoos at different places I've lived, Sid at Hardwire in Wilmington is hands down the best artist I have ever worked with. I highly recommend him and will be going back to him for my next tat! Read Less

2nd tattoo here. Got my first 10 years ago by the owner and it still looks great! Got tattooed tonight by Nate Gates and it was my best tattoo experience. Very light handed tattoo artist! Will definitely get my next tattoo by him! Me and my friends all got amazing tattoos! Thanks Hardwire and Nate! Read Less

For me, the experience of getting a tattoo has always been just as important as the actual ink itself. So when I relocated to Wilmington, I worried that I may not be able to find a place, and a person, that would keep one of my favorite traditions going. But my first trip to Hardwire put my mind at ease. I walked in with a simple design that was ready to go, and by the luck of the draw, I was paired with Will. I connected with him immediately. Will is a true artist - not only talented, but also highly intelligent, driven, sensitive, and real. We crossed paths during an exceedingly difficult period in my life, and the words in my tattoo were meant to provide comfort to me. In my opinion, the best tattoo artists create a safe, non-judgmental space, in which they do their work. It's almost like a therapist. That's what I've always loved most about the experience of getting a tattoo. That's what Will gave to me, and I'll be forever grateful to him and to Hardwire. Oh... and my tattoo is exactly what I wanted. I'm already designing the next one, so I'll be back soon! Read Less

My artist was Chuck. He did an awesome job! The service from the whole staff was excellent. I walked in without an appointment and was helped immediately and with kindness. Chuck made sure I got exactly what I wanted; I will be going to him for all my future work. Thank you! Read Less

The guys (including "Carol" LMFAO) at Hardwire Tattoo are really great! I personally think it's an amazing shop with very talented artists! The guys are super friendly, clean, informative and have a great sense of humor. I've had the pleasure of being inked by "The One & Only", Sid Baggett!! He's definitely the Jack of all trades and in my opinion the best artist I've ever had!!!...Can't wait to be back under his gun in a couple of weeks!!! Read Less

I had some what of an idea of what I wanted when I went into the shop and that was some type of sleeve with a traveling theme. Nate absolutely killed it! I couldn't ask for more. If you're looking to get some work done he is a great artist and also has a personality that is easy to get along with when getting work done for hours. I already have gotten so many compliments and the detail of the tattoo is spectacular! I have five other tattoos from other shops and I also live 10 hours away, but when I need more work done I know I will be back to have Nate work on the other tattoos I want. Highly recommend him. Read Less

They claim walk ins are welcome sooo you know I walked in to get a quote on a tattoo. The guy at the desk had no idea about anything. Finally he found an artist however the artist didn't even bother to greet me or talk to me. I found that to be very disrespectful. He decided to sit outside and smoke a cigarette. I wouldn't spend one dime in with this place. Find another tattoo if you want to be respected. Read Less

My cousins and I were visiting from Florida. We came into Hardwire at about 8:00 last night wanting tattoos for all 3 of us. They said they weren't sure if we would we would be able to get seen due to the number of people ahead of us. But, they put our names down on a list and said if we wanted to wait around we were welcome to, so we did. Not even 40 minutes later our tattoos were being drawn up. We were all very pleased with our tattoo artists, they all did a wonderful job! I would definitely recommend coming here. The place is clean and well kept, all of our tattoos were perfectly executed and reasonably priced. Thanks Hardwire for a great experience! Read Less

Sid was recommended to me in 2013 and I haven't allowed anyone else to do my tattoos since then! I currently live in Boston, Massachusetts and I drive down specifically for Sid! Send him your ideas and he creates a masterpiece. He is highly professional and treats his clients with respect. He also offers a professional opinion as to what works and what typically doesn't. I like someone who is honest; we've all heard horror stories of individuals getting bad tattoos! Read Less

Went in to get my nose pierced today and had a great experience! The guys up front were nice and very helpful and the piercer Dave was awesome! So sweet and made the experience super easy! I've also received a tattoo from here a few years back and had a great experience as well! This is the only place in Wilmington I go to! Read Less

Love my latest tatoo! Best place ever for a tat. Thanks Chuck C. for taking my idea and making it wonderful and helping me take care of my "itch to get another tatoo". hope to see you in about 3 years or so....take care! Read Less

My sister in law and I decided to have our tragus pierced while we were in Wilmington on vacation. We had been searching for spots, couldn't find many with great reviews when this one popped up. Dave did our piercings and could not have been more professional. Talkative while actually doing the piercing to keep your mind off thinking what was going on. He was very quick, not painful at all, and gave great instructions on how to keep the area clean. We were both very impressed. I highly recommend him!! Read Less

Loved my nostril piercing! Everyone is friendly & it's priced right. Clean atmosphere. I pierced my nose twice elsewhere before this, and this one didn't hurt & it healed properly. Hygiene during piercing at the shop has to be top notch and you'll find it at Hardwire. Use the instructions and keep it clean! Perfect! Love my piercing & now going back for more! Read Less

If you are going to get a piercing ask for Dave. When I walked in I asked the guy working at the front desk how much would it be to get my tragus pierced.  He didn't know what I was talking about and then just through out a price. Then Dave came to the rescue knew exactly what I was talking about and gave the correct appropriate price. Dave was great during the piercing process keeping me calm, distracting me with conversation and he was quick. He was informative with the after care instructions for the piercing. The shop was clean. Read Less

I recently got my nipples pierced while vacationing in Wilmington. One, the location is great. I called the shop while my family was still out on the beach to see whether or not i needed an appointment to be pierced later that night or if my friend and I could just be walk ins. I was assured that I could just come as a walk in. I was told that the price for one nipple would be $30 and two $70..which was questionable math to me but, ok. Upon arriving most of the staff was very cool except for a rather rude blonde at the front desk. My piercer, TIM, was absolutely amazing. I was comfortable, he was knowledgeable and did not rush the process. Couldn't have asked for a better piercer. However, after my service I was charged $80 "because it was late" although it was still within their business hours and despite the quote that I received just a few hours earlier. I don't see the point in charging more when you have already established your business hours. Read Less

I left a review saying how good sid was but apparently that was I one time thing when I tried to book an appointment and go back he couldn't seem to find the time then tried to make me feel like what I wanted wasn't cool or special enough and when he realized I wanted what I wanted he got that I don't care attitude then kept telling me that he was an asshole himself well great but if you do good work and you treat people like crap you don't get business when I try to bring this up with the owner they just blew me off its since  been over a year and I find with a lot of artist either on drugs or they have a bad attitude I'd really like to find an artist in Wilmington that's not like this Read Less

Just like all my sisters, I decided to put a few holes in my face as soon as I turned 18. Besides the freshman year incident when I ripped out the ring, I have never removed my eyebrow piercing. Monday my face bling fell out in the shower and I kept forgetting to stop and pick up a replacement. I finally remembered when I was getting pie next door. I have been a customer of Hardwire for years. I have had two tattoos and nine piercings done here since 2007. Nothing special about this tattoo shop but I like it. I walked in and asked the girl at the counter to see the eyebrow rings. She showed me one option and I bought it. Big mistake this ring is a lot bigger than the old one and sticks out from my face. It was ten dollars which I wouldn't have minded paying if I liked the ring but it looks so bad I am going to have to buy a new one somewhere else. Normally I would give this business a four but I need appropriate decoration for the holes in my face. Read Less

I walked in without an appointment after driving about an hour from Myrtle Beach. If you're in Wilmington, go see Will at Hardwire because he's so many kinds of legit and will treat ya right. He gave me a beautiful cover-up that I absolutely love! I showed up with a horrible bull tattoo, and Will turned it into a gnarley hibiscus. He was really nice and great to work with. The price was great and the art is better. Read Less

I got the owner Justin. He was awesome! Great artist since I wanted something not in the books. The entire staff is friendly, very knowledgeable and just the best. Did it hurt? Of course! It's a needle! Even the best (Justin!!!) can't make it not hurt...he did keep me occupied by talking to me. This is a 5 star establishment.My husband is getting a detailed military tattoo by Will and he is taking great care of John.Want a tattoo? In Wilmington? Come to this place! Read Less

I went with my mom to get tattoos recently.  We went in the afternoon on a Friday so we got right in.  My artist, Mike, was great and I'm very happy with my tattoo.  He kept the review at three rather than one or two.That's because my mom's artist, Syd, was a bit of a jerk.  We aren't avid tattoo getters and he treated us like we weren't worth his time with our simple little designs.  When my mom first showed him the design she drew, he simply said "no".  After an awkward silence he explained that he wouldn't do a tattoo that small.  He didn't really offer up a solution.  After being told to "pick it up a little bit" when walking back to look at his drawing and then getting more attitude when we didn't really like his new design, they finally came to an agreement.  Honestly, we wouldn't have stayed if I wasn't already in the process of getting my tattoo with Mike.If he's going to be at the most visible tattoo parlor downtown, he may want to get used to having boring white women ask for simple tattoos and try not to scare them out of the door with his rudeness. Read Less

This is the only place my husband Jonathan and I go to for our tattoos!!! We love Phil. He is amazing and so friendly. He has a great memory, He always remembers my husband and he has a lot of clients!! I would highly recommend this place. Keep up the great work!!! Read Less

Yelping through a friends experience, I personally did not give this place my business. However, after seeing how my friend was treated, and the quality of business this place provides I can safely say I will never do business with this place.The shop appeared to be clean, but once you really see the place and the people that work here you feel just absolutely awkward. As a female you probably never want to step into a tattoo or piercing place and feel awkward. Also this place apparently is a favorite of Jenelle Evans who was on Teen Mom, you know the one that gave away her child to her mother? So you can see the type of quality this place provides by her tattoos, which isn't great quality. I'm from California and the comparison of skill from here to NC is just not comparable. Tattoos take more than an artistic eye, and by the looks of the ones coming out of Hardwire you just don't get that here.I highly suggest finding a much more comfortable place to get piercings or tattoos especially if your a female. There has to be much better quality of tattoos elsewhere. Read Less

i had been wanting my cartilage pierced for years but was wayyy too nervous to do so. the piercer overheard my convo with my cousin as i was walking by and gave me a price and told me i'd be done in ten minutes so i finally bit. he kept me completely calm and kept his word -- i was out the door ten minutes later. didn't even get his name! would recommend to anyone looking to get a piercing. Read Less

In my opinion, one of the most of obnoxious things is when you walk into a tattoo parlor and the staff treats you like you're just not cool enough to be there.  So I am very happy to say that that was not at all my experience when I walked into Hardwire.  The lovely lady behind the counter (smoking hot smile) was very, very cool. I got my eyebrow pierced by Gooey, who was also very, very cool.  My experience really couldn't have been much better.  Absolutely top notch, and highly recommended.  Their excellent reputation is deserved imo Read Less

How refreshing it is to know that once my pregnant ass is no longer with child, I will have a decent studio to get my back-piece finished! I came in here the other day with a girlfriend of mine who was staking out a new shop to get her work done, and was pleasantly surprised with Hardwire.This shop is huge and everyone that works here, or at least that was working this past Wednesday, is totally f-ing rad. I HATE HATE HATE when you walk into a shop and the artists treat you like you're retarded or invisible. Not here. These guys literally sat and shot the shit and talked tattoos with us for over an hour. They were extremely knowledgeable and professional and answered all the questions we had and more. We browsed through every artists portfolio and we both found ourselves an artist that will suit our styles. They will even draw up your idea at no charge, and seemingly can get you scheduled for a session fairly quickly, sometimes same day. My girlfriend will start her piece next week.Although I have about 10 months before I will be able to finish the piece my late artist started back in 2002, I have found the man who will do it, who is super psyched about it just as much as I am. I love this and I am so anxious! I also stopped in here this afternoon for a new nose stud and although I have not personally had anything pieced by their respective piercer, she was very nice in helping me find the perfect stud and let me use her mirror. Bravo Hardwire, for proving that there are still talented friendly artists out there who aren't complete assholes with a God complex! Read Less

I got a tattoo here about a year ago and they really hooked me up. They took the time to make me feel comfortable and while I was getting my tattoo, they made sure I took breaks and I I wanted anything to drink whatever I needed was at my service. Shout out to mike my tattoo artist that had just come back from Iraq 2days before he tattooed me. I will be back for another Read Less

My wife and I just dropped in for our first tattoos tonight. We were met at the door by the owner (we found out later) who was very personable. This was nice because we had stopped by Unique Ink in Jacksonville earlier and the people in there seemed a bit off. Justin (the owner) was great helping us figure out the details of the custom artwork my wife wanted. Mine was much simpler. The whole process was quick, easy and enjoyable (seriously). The only issue I might note is that we were asked to use the ATM and not to put it on our credit card. I understand the desire to not pay some percentage to the credit processing house but I also prefer not to use sketchy little ATMs. I could've pushed back but not being a tattoo "parlor" regular was not too inclined to make waves. It also helped that everybody there was extremely cool, to include the FREE adjustment the piercer made on my wife's nose stud (she's not nearly as "alternative" as this all sounds...well maybe a little). Anyway, if you find yourself in Wilmington in need of ink I highly recommend dropping in at Hardwire...just hit a real ATM first. Read Less

I visited Hardwire in November, 2008 for my tattoo and was so impressed.  Everyone there was friendly, and the man who worked on me (Phil) was fantastic!  We hit it off so well, chatted the whole time, and it made the experience go by quickly and made it enjoyable.  I love my tattoo!Today, my daughter went to Hardwire and saw Phil and got her tattoo (she just turned 18), and he was great with her.  She is very happy with his work and their service.I highly recommend Hardwire. Read Less

**UPDATED 5/9/08 - REDUCED TO TWO STARS**See end of review for actual update.For only having been inside maybe two other tattoo/piercing places in my life (purely to look around), this one looked about the same. It was a bit smaller than I had thought it would be, but downtown Wilmington is cramped anyway. They warned us they were in the middle of a remodel (or maybe even a move?) so the place was in a little bit of disarray. This was in mid-December 2007.My friend and I had chosen Hardwire from rave reviews we had heard. The people there were very friendly and upon hearing that both of us were there for nipple piercings, they jokingly announced it through the whole store. It seemed like a fun atmosphere. Appointments weren't required, but we had called ahead to see when their piercer would be there, because apparently he isn't there all the time. He helped us decide what jewelry we wanted and then took us back to the private room. They let us both be in the room at the same time (we wanted to take pics!) and the guy was great. Everything was completely sterile (taken from new packages) and well-done (from what I can tell, I mean, this was my first piercing aside from my ears 20 years ago in my aunt's kitchen). The only thing I wasn't thrilled with was the metal music being played VERY loudly throughout the store. I realize metal kinda goes with tattoos and piercings, but I really would have enjoyed some nice calming Enya or James Taylor, LOL. The process went very smoothly for both of us (but WOW, was that painful - for a few seconds) and they gave us a military discount (small, but a discount nonetheless), sold us the aftercare spray, and we were on our way. Easy peasy. Oh...note of caution on payment - although they say they take credit cards (I believe they had the Visa/Mastercard stickers on the door), they really don't...they have an ATM in the corner of the lobby where you can USE your credit card to get cash. Parking is inconvenient. (Well, keep in mind this statement is coming from someone who is used to smaller towns and private parking lots for everything.) There just isn't much street parking downtown. In fact, is there even any? There has to be parking - but I am not from the area, and it was dark when we went, and we parked in the parking garage down the street.I am not sure why the other person only rated them one-star. The place didn't seem sketchy to me - but then again, maybe a few years ago it was? I also didn't expect an extravagant, spa-like experience. Nor have I been in a multitude of tattoo/piercing places to compare them. But I personally see no reason whatsoever for a one-star rating. That said, I can't give them five-stars because I don't think it was fully a five-star experience. I would do three-and-a-half, but since I can't, I am going to err on the side of caution and go with three, for the insanely loud irritating music (yes, even though that's probably the type of music played at tattoo parlors everywhere) and not actually being able to pay with a credit card.The big question is...would I go back? And the answer is a definitive yes.UPDATE 5/9/08 - I am dropping my review to two stars because I have decided I am not happy with how my piercings were done. Meaning, they were not even - one is through the actual nipple and the second is through the skin behind the nipple. I was willing to overlook this at the beginning, because I thought "Well, it's kinda hard to get them exactly even" but the more I talked to people, apparently other places use clamps, to more accurately position the holes...and this guy just did it freehand. Also, the piercing through the nipple has slowly been working its way out, so much so that it's still very sore and I will likely have to remove it permanently so it doesn't rip through the nipple itself. So I will have gone through the pain and five months of recovery for nothing. Read Less